It was held every year before the harvest began, to honor the earth goddess, Ani, and the ancestral spirits of the clan. New yams could not be eaten until some had first been offered to the goddess and the spirits. The night before the festival all who still had yams had to dispose of them. The new year had to start with new yams. All cooking pots had to be washed for the food of the feast to be made. A main dish was vegetable soup. The first day of the festival was for feasting and fellowship. The second was for the wrestling contest.
Wrestling
The great wrestling match was between Okonkwo's village, Umuofia, and their neighbors. The matches were held on the ilo. ( ilo: the village green, where assemblies for sports, discussions, etc., take place.) There were seven drums that were arranged by size in a wooden basket. Men beat them with sticks. The contest began with boys of fifteen or sixteen. Then the real matches began. The last one was the match between the two teem leaders.
Music
Here is a list of some musical instruments used in the village
ekwe: a type of drum made from wood
ogene: a kind of gong
udu: a type of drum made from pottery
Songs
Wrestling song:
"Who will wrestle for our village?
Okafo will wrestle for our village.
Has he thrown a hundred men?
He has thrown four hundred men.
Has he thrown a hundred Cats?
He has thrown four hundred Cats.
Then send him word to fight for us" Ikemefuna's song:
Eze elina, elina!
Sala
Eze ilikwa ya
Ikwaba akwa oligholi
Ebe Danda nechi eze
Ebe Uzuzu nete egwu
Sala song at the wedding:
"If I hold her hand
She says, 'Don't touch!'
If I hold her foot
She says 'Don't touch!'
But if I hold her waist-beads
She pretends not to know." Children's song:
"The rain is falling, the sun is shining,
Alone Nnadi is cooking and eating."
The Feast of the New Yam
It was held every year before the harvest began, to honor the earth goddess, Ani, and the ancestral spirits of the clan. New yams could not be eaten until some had first been offered to the goddess and the spirits. The night before the festival all who still had yams had to dispose of them. The new year had to start with new yams. All cooking pots had to be washed for the food of the feast to be made. A main dish was vegetable soup. The first day of the festival was for feasting and fellowship. The second was for the wrestling contest.
Wrestling
The great wrestling match was between Okonkwo's village, Umuofia, and their neighbors. The matches were held on the ilo. ( ilo: the village green, where assemblies for sports, discussions, etc., take place.) There were seven drums that were arranged by size in a wooden basket. Men beat them with sticks. The contest began with boys of fifteen or sixteen. Then the real matches began. The last one was the match between the two teem leaders.
Music
Here is a list of some musical instruments used in the village
ekwe: a type of drum made from wood
ogene: a kind of gong
udu: a type of drum made from pottery
Songs
Wrestling song:
"Who will wrestle for our village?
Okafo will wrestle for our village.
Has he thrown a hundred men?
He has thrown four hundred men.
Has he thrown a hundred Cats?
He has thrown four hundred Cats.
Then send him word to fight for us"
Ikemefuna's song:
Eze elina, elina!
Sala
Eze ilikwa ya
Ikwaba akwa oligholi
Ebe Danda nechi eze
Ebe Uzuzu nete egwu
Sala
song at the wedding:
"If I hold her hand
She says, 'Don't touch!'
If I hold her foot
She says 'Don't touch!'
But if I hold her waist-beads
She pretends not to know."
Children's song:
"The rain is falling, the sun is shining,
Alone Nnadi is cooking and eating."